Ohio State football: Seniors prepare for final home game

Ohio State cornerback Bradley Roby (1) avoids Illinois quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase (2) as he returns an interception a 63-yards for a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2013, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Jeff Haynes)

Try as he might, Kenny Guiton knows he can’t ignore the inevitable for much longer.
When Guiton and the rest of the seniors on the Ohio State football team run out onto the Ohio Stadium turf Saturday, it will be the last time they do so as players.
Four years, three head coaches, a vacated season and a resurgence later, 18 players will play their final game in Ohio Stadium on Saturday against the visiting Indiana Hoosers.
And not all of them are ready for that day to arrive.
“I’ve actually thought about it a lot. I’ve been talking to a lot of the guys about it — my closest, closest friends like Chris Fields and Jordan Hall,” Guiton said earlier this week. “We’re like, ‘Man, we can’t talk about that.’
“It’s going to be a touchy day. Some tears might come out.”
Ohio State’s senior class includes five fourth-year seniors (Drew Basil, Philly Brown, Christian Bryant, Carlos Hyde and Andrew Norwell). There are also nine fifth-year juniors, two fourth-year walk-ons and a pair of juniors who are seniors academically. That list includes C.J. Barnett, Ivon Blackmon, Pitt Brown, Adam Griffin, Marcus Hall, Corey Linsley, George Makridis, Jack Mewhort, Bradley Roby and Jamie Wood, along with Fields, Hall and Guiton.
“It’s been a great journey,” Mewhort said.
Well, most of it anyway.
Fifth-year seniors remember the 2010 Rose Bowl, when the 11-2 Buckeyes defeated Oregon, 26-17.
That group, along with fourth-year seniors, can look back and smile on the next season’s 12-1 record capped by a 31-26 win over Arkansas in the 2011 Sugar Bowl.
But then the shroud of an NCAA investigation was draped over the program. The 2010 season was vacated because of sanctions. A 6-7 season ensued. The nightmare season ended with a 24-17 loss in a Gator Bowl no one really wanted to attend.
“Not to down the Gator Bowl or anything,” Guiton said, “but it’s not the Rose Bowl or Sugar Bowl. We kind of got spoiled from the start.
“Once it got down, I’m glad we got to pick it back up for one last go-around.”
The Buckeyes haven’t lost since that Gator Bowl loss to Florida and will take a school record-tying 22-game winning streak into the game against Indiana on Saturday.
The exiting senior class goes into Saturday with 40 wins on the playing field.
And one big, successful reclamation process to its name.
Guiton said he hopes the senior class is known for turning things around.
Mewhort agreed.
“I think we’re a close-knit group of guys. Passionate I would say,” Mewhort said. “I’ve seen guys change and really become selfless people, going from me-guys to team-guys.”
The Senior Day festivities in pregame will include each senior being announced individually, then running across the field to shake hands (or hug) with Meyer and then meet their parents on the field.
Senior Christian Bryant (broken ankle) won’t be running. But he is looking forward to the experience, even if there is a possibility he could be doing it again next year should he decide to take — and be granted — a medical redshirt.
“Just walking out and seeing the fans reaction,” Bryant said. “I think it’ll be a great experience.”
Guiton grinned when it was suggested he might receive the loudest ovation from a 100,000-plus crowd that chants “Kenny.. Kenny...” whenever he’s in the game.
“One thing I‘m happy about is my family coming up (from Texas) and seeing that,” Guiton said. “Them being here and seeing that would be so cool. I can’t wait for that.”
Bryant looks back at his time at Ohio State with only positive thoughts despite the NCAA sanctions, coaching changes and senior-season injury. He called Tressel “a legend” and said Meyer was the right man to turn the program around.
The journey isn’t done. The Buckeyes hope for three more wins (Indiana, Michigan and the Big Ten championship game), and look forward to a shot at completing a second straight undefeated season.
One thing they’re not really looking forward to, though, is saying goodbye to Ohio Stadium on Saturday.
“I’m really not trying to think about it,” Mewhort said. “When I run out of the tunnel for the last time, It’s going to be pretty emotional.
“I owe who I am to this university and this program.”